Whatever You Desire
by RFK
Summary: CONCLUSION POSTED! A special punch causes havoc at a witch's party.
1. Chapter 1

TITLE: WHATEVER YOU DESIRE  
  
AUTHOR: RFK  
  
SERIES: CHA  
  
RATING: [R]  
  
SUMMARY: A special punch cause havoc at a witch's party.  
  
FEEDBACK: june_daley@rocketmail.com - Be my guest. But please, be kind.  
  
DISCLAIMER: Cole Turner, Leo Wyatt and the Charmed Ones and other characters are related to Charmed to Spelling Productions, Brad Kern and Constance Burge. The McNeills, Nathalie Gleason and a few other characters are my own creation.  
  
"WHATEVER YOU DESIRE" by RFK  
  
PART 1  
  
"The human psyche is a fascinating subject," Ostera's latest customer declared to her audience. "Or maybe I should say the psyches of all sentient beings."  
  
Paige noticed that she was not the only one who seemed fascinated by the tall woman who spoke. The moment Nathalie Gleason had entered the herbal shop, all eyes seemed drawn to her. She looked like a character from a Charles Addams cartoon, with her 5'11"-inch frame, short dark hair, alabaster skin and large black eyes. Eyes that seemed to mesmerize others.  
  
"Uh, when you mean all sentient beings," Piper said-, "do you mean non-humans, as well?"  
  
Nathalie responded with a nod. "Yeah. That's right. All beings. Humans, other animals, plants, and even other magical beings."  
  
"Including demons?" Paige asked.  
  
The tall woman glanced at Barbara Bowen, owner of Ostera's. The latter shrugged. "When you say demon, are you referring those whom you've had experience with? Or are you referring to true demons that happened to be outer planers?"  
  
Confusion marked Piper's expression. "What's the difference?" she demanded. "A demon is a demon. And they all reside in the Underworld."  
  
A slight laugh escaped Nathalie's mouth. "Oh! I see what you mean! The so-called 'demons' you're referring to are actually high-level warlocks, sorcerers or sorceresses. Like the Source. A good number of them reside in the Underworld, but not all of them. And one of the reasons why they're basically high-level warlocks, is because their life span is longer than the typical mortal. Now, the true demons are those who are outer planners, and have no interest in the human world. Unless some idiot decides to bother them, first."  
  
Both Paige and Piper first stared at each other, and then at the dark-haired customer. "But," the latter began uneasily, "how can that be? Everyone knows that demons . . ."  
  
"What about them?" Dark eyes gazed directly at Piper. "Oh, I see. You're not Wiccan, but a Christian. You believe in demons . . . and that they're all inherently evil. But we Wiccans believe otherwise. Well, there are some whom we believe are beyond help . . ."  
  
Piper stated firmly, "I'm a Wiccan."  
  
After a moment's hesitation, Nathalie shrugged. "Oh. Okay. Whatever. Now as I was saying, the psyche of a sentient being is very fascinating. It's like a complex mixture of darkness and light. Like the Egyptian myth of 'the Secret of Two Partners'. In that myth, the god Horus is 'good', and Set is 'evil'. Now society tends to polarize the two as opposites. But actually, good and evil is a solitary nature that each individual possesses to a degree. Unfortunately, society - especially here in the West - do not view good and evil as two sides of one."  
  
"Wait a minute," Piper protested, "are you saying that I have evil within me, as well as good?"  
  
Nathalie nodded. "Yeah. Look, I realize that Western society teaches its young to suppress one half of our nature, and acknowledge the other half." She glanced at Piper. "Like your 'demons' in the Underworld. They also have dual natures, only their societies teach them to suppress their lighter nature and indulge in their darker sides."  
  
"Are you saying that demons have a good side to their nature?" an incredulous Paige asked.  
  
Replying with great enthusiasm, Nathalie said, "Of course! Have you ever read Robert Bly? He's a poet who wrote something called, "The Long Bag We Drag Behind Us". Bly contends that we are taught that certain kinds of behavior are  
  
unacceptable in certain societies. For example, we are taught to suppress our darker desires and nature. Our Shadow sides. For those who are raised to practice magic for darker reasons - like warlocks or 'demons' - they are taught to suppress any goodness within them, to be considered acceptable in their societies. However, if all of us continue to suppress our Shadow feelings, they will probably re-emerge in the most shocking way possible."  
  
"Uh huh." Judging form Piper's reaction, it seemed to Paige that her older sister found Nathalie's words hard to believe. "That's a nice theory," Piper continued, "but whatever 'dark nature' I may have been suppress, had disappeared a long time ago. Especially since I happen to be a witch who fights for the side of good. I protect innocents, not kill them."   
  
Nathalie seared the oldest Halliwell with an intense stare. "If you think you no longer have a Shadow self, or never had one, you're only fooling yourself. From the day we are born, until we die, we all possess good and evil within ourselves. We all have the potential to give in to either path in life. But we can overcome this by not suppressing one side of our natures, or the other. What we can do is learn how to attain control of both sides, and choose which path we want to take."  
  
"Yeah. Right." Piper turned her attention to Barbara. "About that balm of Gillead, do you have any?"  
  
Barbara signaled Ostera's other shop assistant. "Maddy, why don't you help Ms. Halliwell find that Gillead balm?" Madeline nodded and led Piper to the other side of the shop.  
  
Nathalie heaved a sigh at Piper's retreating back. "What an interesting woman. She seems very . . . sure of herself." Her dark eyes focused on Paige. "What about you? Do you feel the same? That you don't have a Shadow self?"  
  
Aware of those penetrating eyes upon her, Paige could not help but stammer. "Uh, I don't . . . well, I do. I mean . . . I did. Once." One of Nathalie's brows formed an arch. "Actually, I don't know. Ever since I met Olivia and Barbara . . ."  
  
"Oh! Of course! Olivia McNeill. How is the Queen of Moral Ambiguity?" Nathalie asked with a smile.  
  
Barbara responded with a shrug. "Being her usual ambiguous self. You know Livy."  
  
"Hmmm. Is she still friends with that tall, dark and handsome neighbor of hers? You know, Cole?"  
  
Paige gawked at the dark-haired woman. "You've met Cole?"  
  
"Of course. Livy had introduced us, last November. Just before I had left for Europe," Nathalie replied. A dreamy expression appeared on her face. "Goddess, what a delicious looking man!"  
  
Paige added, "You do know that he's also a half-demon, right?"  
  
Nodding, Nathalie answered, "Oh yeah. I know. Olivia made that perfectly clear when she introduced us. Besides, Cole wasn't the first demon I have ever met. I learned a lot about the Underworld from him and the others. I'm thinking of writing a book on the subject, but at the moment, I have another book in planning."  
  
"Which is?" Barbara asked.  
  
Nathalie continued, "It's about the conflict between mythology and the modern-day Western psyche. Should be very interesting. However," she heaved a sigh, "that's not why I'm here. I'm giving a party on Friday night. In celebration of my return to San Francisco. You're all invited." She added to Paige, "Including your family."  
  
Paige glanced at her older sister, who was examining one of the shelves on the other side of the store. "Oh. Well . . . that's great. Uh, but I'm not sure if Piper will show up. She's . . ."  
  
". . . not particular enamored of my views, is she?" Nathalie's gaze followed Paige's. "I guess I must have shaken her up, a bit."  
  
Paige shook her head. "No, no! That's not it. It's just . . . well, Piper has a baby. And she might have trouble finding a babysitter on Friday night. But I'm sure that Phoebe and I can make it."  
  
"Phoebe?" Nathalie frowned. "Who's that?"  
  
Barbara answered, "Paige's other sister. The middle one. She's a columnist for the BAY-MIRROR. You know, 'Ask Phoebe'. She used to be married to Cole."  
  
"Really?" The dark-haired witch's eyes gleamed with interest. "And now, he's with Olivia."  
  
Both Paige and Barbara exchanged uneasy glances. "Well, not quite," the former said. "Olivia . . . she's seeing someone else. Another witch."  
  
The disappointment reflected in Nathalie's dark eyes, reflected Paige's own feelings. "Oh. Too bad," the former said. "I thought they made a nice . . . Do you think it would okay if I invite Cole, anyway?"  
  
"Go ahead," Barbara declared. "It's your party, not Livy's. Besides, Cole is still close with Bruce and Harry." And neither could stand Paul Margolin. But Paige decided not to expose that little tidbit.  
  
Nathalie clapped her hands with delight. "Perfect! Anyway, I need to get home. Make a few calls, and then do some shopping." She gathered her purse and other bags. "I'll see you two, Friday night." On way toward the shop's door, Nathalie waved at the oldest Halliwell. "Nice meeting you Piper! See you on Friday!" And out the door, she went.  
  
Piper stared at the departing woman's back, wearing a stunned expression. "Huh?"  
  
* * * *   
  
Five hours later, Piper shook her head, while Paige informed the family about the party invitation. "No! No way in hell am I going to subject myself to that woman's company! I've already had a bad experience with someone else named Natalie. So, there's nothing you can say to convince me otherwise, Paige."  
  
The youngest Charmed One rolled her eyes and heaved a frustrated sigh. "Her name is Nathalie," she retorted. "With a 'T'. But if you don't wanna go - fine!" She turned to the middle Halliwell. "How about you, Phoebe? Wanna go with me? You're invited."  
  
Phoebe shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, Paige. Jason and I were thinking of dinner and a movie, this Friday night."  
  
"Well, you'll get to go to a party, instead."  
  
A sigh left Phoebe's mouth. "Paige, you know I can't . . . can't take Jason to this party. There's bound to be plenty of witches there and a lot of loose talk about magic. I can't take the chance."  
  
Disappointment filled Paige. "Great! That means I'll have to go alone."  
  
"I'm sorry, honey," a sympathetic Phoebe cooed. "Maybe I'll get to meet this Natalie . . ."  
  
"Nathalie."  
  
Phoebe nodded. "Whatever. Maybe I'll get to meet her at the wedding, next week."  
  
Piper added snidely, "When you do, you'll end up wishing you were somewhere else."  
  
Before Paige could defend her new acquaintance, the telephone rang. A few minutes later, Leo entered the Sun Room, holding a cordless phone. "Phoebe, it's for you. Jason."  
  
Phoebe took the phone from Leo. "Hello? Jason?" The expression on her face told Paige that she had just received bad news. "Oh. Okay, baby. I'll see you on Sunday. Bye." Phoebe disconnected the phone.  
  
"Bad news?" Piper asked.  
  
Looking woebegone, Phoebe nodded. "Yeah. Jason will be out of town, this weekend. He has a business conference in San Diego and he's leaving tonight. He won't be back, until Sunday."  
  
Brightened by the news, Paige said, "Well, at least you'll be available for Miss Gleason's party, Friday night." The two older women stared at her. "What? Is there a problem?"  
  
Again, Phoebe sighed. "No, there isn't. And I'll go with you," she said in a weary voice. "I guess I have nothing else better to do."  
  
* * * *   
  
"Homicide. Inspector McNeill speaking. How may I help you?"  
  
The voice on the other end of the telephone line cried cheerfully, "Olivia? Is that you? It's me! Natalia!" A joyful surprise surged through Olivia.  
  
"How long have you been back?" Olivia demanded.  
  
Surprise tinged Nathalie's voice. "How did you know I was back in San Francisco?"  
  
"Honey, this is me . . . Livy." Olivia continued, "Besides, my telphone has Caller ID. Now, how long have you been back?"  
  
A small chuckle filled Olivia's ear. "You haven't changed," Nathalie commented with amusement. "Not even after five months. Anyway, I just got back from London, yesterday evening. I already saw Barbara, this morning. And met her new shop assistants."  
  
"Yeah, she had hired them, last January. They're doing great." Olivia paused. "Is there another reason why you called?"  
  
Nathalie hesitated. "As a matter of fact, there is. I'm giving a 'Welcome Home' party for myself. It's tomorrow night. And you're invited. You and your family."  
  
"Great! We'll be there. At least I will." Olivia paused, as a certain person popped into her thoughts. "Uh, do you mind if bring someone with me?"  
  
Nathalie expressed surprise. "Like who? I heard that you and that delicious Cole were no longer a twosome."  
  
"The 'delicious' Cole and I were never a twosome," Olivia corrected with a touch of asperity. "Just friends. And besides, I plan to bring someone else. Another witch. Trust me, he's just as delicious."  
  
"Hmmm," Nathalie commented. "Sounds interesting. Can't wait to meet this new friend of yours."  
  
Olivia allowed herself a small smile. "And I can't wait to introduce him to you. See you tomorrow night."  
  
"Tomorrow night," Nathalie repeated. And she hung up.  
  
* * * *   
  
"Hello? Is this Cole Turner?" a female's voice asked.  
  
Cole sighed. "Yes, this is he. How may I help you?"  
  
The voice cheerfully continued, "This is Nathalie Gleason. Remember me? I'm a friend of the McNeill family. We met last fall, at one of their Sunday brunches."  
  
Memories of a tall, angular woman with pale skin, dark eyes and hair, captured Cole's thoughts. He recalled that she had reminded him of Morticia Addams with short hair. And he also remembered her garish outfits - including the peasant blouses and skirts she usually favored. Nathalie Gleason was the author of several books on mysticism, magic and mythology. The three 'Ms'. "Oh yeah," he said. "You had a book tour in England or something. And Ireland."  
  
"Also Wales, Scotland, Italy and Rumania," Nathalie added. "Well, I'm back in town and I'll be holding a party at my house, tomorrow night. You're more than welcome to come."  
  
Cole hesitated. "Uh, will Olivia be there?"  
  
A pause followed before the witch answered, "Maybe."  
  
In other words, Cole surmised, yes. The last thing he wanted to deal with was an encounter with Olivia. Especially since she had begun dating Leo's pet witch, Paul Margolin. Cole felt willing to face Olivia at Bruce and Barbara's upcoming wedding . . . and only the wedding. So, he rejected Nathalie Gleason's offer. "Thanks, but no thanks. I might be busy that night."  
  
"Doing what? Watching TV and eating cold pizza? Or hitting the bars for a little nocturnal activity??  
  
Nathalie's words and sarcastic tone took Cole by surprise. "What the he . . .? How did you . . . ? I mean . . . never mind."  
  
The witch continued, "I heard about Olivia's new boyfriend. From Barbara and one her new assistants. Someone named Paige. Is Olivia's new friend the reason why you're turning down my invitation?"  
  
"No!" Cole immediately regretted the desperate tone of his answer. Nathalie Gleason seemed to have a knack of detecting the anxieties of others. Including his. "No, I mean . . ." He sighed. "I'll be there. Same address?"  
  
Nathalie cheerfully replied, "Same address. 5472 ___________ Street. Semi-casual. The party will start around seven-thirty."  
  
"Seven-thirty. Right. I'll be there."  
  
"And I'll be looking forward to seeing you," Nathalie added. "Bye." The telephone went dead.  
  
* * * *   
  
Early Friday evening saw Nathalie inside her kitchen, preparing one final touch for the party. With the food and servers delivered by a catering firm she had hired, she only had to prepare a drink for the guests. A special punch called Raspberry Sunset.  
  
The Raspberry Sunset recipe had been created by her maternal grandmother, nearly fifty years ago. It consisted of orange juice, pineapple juice, ginger ale, sugar and the piece de resistance - a cordial made from crushed raspberries. Nathalie had just poured one quarter of a carton of orange juice into a large crystal bowl, when the telephone rang. She placed the carton on the kitchen counter and answered. "Hello?"  
  
"Nathalie? It's me, Rosario! I'm calling from Sausalito. I'm stuck in traffic! How in the hell do I get to your place from here?" One half of her mind on the punch and the other half on the telephone conversation, Nathalie gave her friend directions to her house. At the same time, she reached for what looked like a bottle of raspberry cordial and began to pour some of the contents into the punch.  
  
A sigh left Nathalie's mouth. "No, no Rosario, you make a left on Franklin, not Lombard." The odor from the bottle hit Nathalie's nostrils, causing her to frown. She sniffed the bottle's contents and realized that she smelled boysenberries, not raspberries. Nathalie returned the bottle to one of the cabinets' shelves and snatched another. "Wait a minute," she said to her friend. She opened the second bottle and sniffed. Yes. Raspberry cordial. And she poured the contents into the punch.  
  
"Yeah, that's right. My house is the third one on the left. Yes." Nathalie stirred the contents of the punch bowl. "Okay Rosie. I'll see you in about an hour. Bye." She disconnected the phone and placed it on the counter. "Hmm," she murmured, glancing at the punch, "all I need now are the raspberries and the ice. Then everything should be finished." Nathalie heaved a satisfied sigh and added the finishing touches to her Raspberry Sunset Punch.  
  
END OF PART 1 


	2. Chapter 2

"WHATEVER YOU DESIRE" by RFK  
  
PART 2  
  
The two sisters climbed the steps that led to a large, Victorian townhouse on Franklin. "Nice place," Paige commented. Her eyes swept appreciatively over the three-story house. "I didn't realize it would be a lot bigger than our place."  
  
Once the pair reached the front door, Phoebe rang the doorbell. "What do you expect? The woman is a best-selling writer. She can afford a place of this size."  
  
"So can you," Paige added. Phoebe shot her a dark look.  
  
Seconds later, the front door opened, revealing the townhouse's owner. Strains of "Lady Marmalade" blasted from inside the house. The tall, dark-haired witch greeted the newcomers with a smile. "Paige! Right?" Nathalie and Paige shook hands. Then the former glanced at the older sister. "And this must be your sister . . . uh . . ."  
  
"Phoebe," the middle Charmed One said with a brief smile. "Phoebe Halliwell." She paused, wondering if their hostess would recognize her name. When the older woman failed to respond, Phoebe added uneasily, "I . . . uh, nice to meet you. I've read some of your books."  
  
A wide smile appeared on Miss Gleason's face. "Thanks. Nice to meet a fan. Now, c'mon in, you two. And enjoy the party." She flung the door wide open, allowing the two sisters to step inside. They followed her through the foyer and into a wide drawing-room, decorated with balloons and streamers. Phoebe's eyes took in the number of guests who were forming little cliques, sampling food and drinks from the refreshment tables or dancing in the middle of the room.  
  
The song ended and another immediately followed. "Now that's new," Paige commented. What is that song? Sounds like some disco song that was around before I was born."  
  
Nathalie answered, "It probably was. It's one of my dad's favorite songs - 'Don't Leave Me This Way' by Thelma Houston." She faced the two sisters. "As for you two, why don't you go enjoy yourselves? While you're at it, try the punch. It's an old recipe from my grandmother. Raspberry Sunset."  
  
Paige asked warily, "Does it have any alcohol?"  
  
Nathalie's eyes widened. "Yeah. Raspberry cordial. Why?"  
  
A deep flush colored Paige's cheeks. "I'm a . . . recovering alcoholic. Sorry."  
  
"There's nothing to be sorry about, honey. I understand. If you're thirsty, I have soda and bottled water, as well. Now, go enjoy yourselves, you two." Nathalie walked away to greet another guest.  
  
Phoebe longingly glanced at the refreshment table. "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. Let's get something to eat."  
  
"You go on ahead," Paige replied. "I just saw Barbara and Bruce and want to say hello. I'll see you later." The youngest Charmed One walked away, while Phoebe went in the opposite direction.  
  
Her stomach rumbled slightly, as she reached the refreshment table. Judging from the array of food on display, Phoebe found it difficult to make a selection. She finally settled upon an open-faced salmon and scrambled egg sandwich, marinated artichoke hearts and mushrooms and some Turkish bean salad.  
  
"Try the Pepper-Herb cheese," a man's voice suggested.  
  
Phoebe glanced up. Her heart did a back over flip at the sight of her ex-husband standing next to her. He was impeccably dressed, as usual - a dark-blue suit with a royal-blue shirt opened at the throat. "What are you doing here?" Phoebe demanded.  
  
One of Cole's dark brows quirked upward. "Attending a party?"  
  
"I mean . . ." Phoebe flushed with embarrassment, recognizing the accusatory tone in her voice. "I mean, do you know Nathalie Gleason?"  
  
Cole nodded. "Yeah. Olivia had introduced us, last fall." He dipped a spoon into a bowl of caviar, sprinkled with chopped boiled egg. "Hmmm, caviar. Nice touch."  
  
Phoebe commented, "Yeah, I guess she can afford it." She paused. "So. You were invited. Right?"  
  
Blue eyes bored into Phoebe's, causing her body to shiver. Damn. "To be honest, I managed to convince Nathalie to invite. I plan to cast a spell over all of the witches here. Create my own following, so I can take control of the Underworld, again." His voice tinged with sarcasm.  
  
"Never mind. Sorry I asked." Phoebe glanced away, feeling foolish. An awkward moment passed before she continued, "Did you say that the Pepper-Herb cheese is good?"  
  
Cole replied, "Yeah. You should give it a shot."  
  
Taking up Cole's suggestion, Phoebe reached for a sliver of cheese. "What about the punch?" she asked. "Raspberry something. Have you tried it?"  
  
"No, I hav . . ." Cole broke off. His attention seemed focused elsewhere. Phoebe turned around and saw who had caught her ex-husband's attention. Namely one Olivia McNeill, arriving with Paul Margolin. The jealousy stamped on Cole's face ignited a similar emotion within Phoebe's breast. She tried to remind herself that she was over Cole, and should feel grateful that he had learned to move on. Unfortunately for her, she only felt pain that he seemed more interested in another woman.  
  
Maintaining a cool façade, Phoebe nudged Cole's arm. "You what? Tried the punch? Haven't?"  
  
Cole's eyes snapped back to Phoebe. "What?"  
  
"The punch. Did you try it?" Phoebe struggled to keep her irritation in check.  
  
"No. Uh . . . I don't like raspberries very much."  
  
Phoebe grabbed a handful of crackers and tossed them on her plate. "I think I'll try a cup of punch."  
  
"That's nice," Cole murmured. His gaze returned to Olivia and Paul.  
  
Realizing that her ex-husband's attention was not focused upon her, Phoebe heaved a frustrated sigh. And moved toward the large crystal punch bowl.  
  
* * * *   
  
"Olivia!" Nathalie greeted the red-haired witch. "Oh sweetie, it's good to see you, again! How are you?"  
  
The two friends hugged. Olivia answered, "I'm fine. Welcome back!"  
  
"Oh, it's good to be back." Nathalie turned her attention toward Olivia's companion. "And who is this?"  
  
Olivia replied, "This . . . is Paul Margolin, a friend of mine." She noticed how Nathalie's gaze swept appreciatively over the good-looking ADA. "And he's also that witch I had told you about. He and I share the same whitelighter."  
  
"Really?" Nathalie offered her hand to Paul. "Nathalie Gleason. Nice to meet you."  
  
Paul took the offered hand and shook it. "Nice to meet you. And my name is Paul Margolin. I've . . . uh, I've read one of your books, by the way. THE NATURE OF MAGIC."  
  
"And how did you like?"  
  
Paul hesitated. "Uh, very well written. And very unorthodox. You seemed to have a more . . . ambiguous view of magic."  
  
Nathalie's eyes widened. "Ambiguous?"  
  
Olivia nudged Paul with her elbow, before he gave the dark-haired witch a disarming smile. "Sorry. What I meant was that you seemed to view magic in an interesting way. As neutral. It's not . . . exactly how I've always viewed it."  
  
One dark brow formed an arch. "Oh."  
  
Realizing it was time to jump into the conversation, Olivia added, "Paul doesn't view witchcraft in the same way we do. He's not Wiccan."  
  
"I'm a Methodist," he added. "Although there are certain aspects of Wiccan beliefs that I do practice."  
  
Nathalie smiled. "Hmmm, a flexible man. I like that."  
  
Sensing her friend's interest in her date, Olivia spoke up. "Down girl! You're starting to drool."  
  
"Don't be silly, Livy! I'm not drooling over Mr. Margolin, here." Nathalie turned appealingly wide eyes upon the ADA. "Am I?"   
  
A red flush colored Paul's face. "No . . . um, no you're not. In fact, you look perfectly lovely."  
  
Nathalie threw her head back and laughed, attracting the attention of others. "Good grief, Livy! Your taste in men is absolutely delicious! And speaking of delicious friends, your Mr. Turner has arrived." A sly expression flitted across Nathalie's face. "Or is he still your Mr. Turner?"  
  
Olivia immediately sobered. "Cole? He's here?" She noticed the scowl on Paul's face.  
  
"He had arrived about forty minutes ago," Nathalie said. "I'm surprised that he didn't arrive with you two, considering that he's your neighbor."  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
Nathalie pointed to a large table, at the opposite end of the room. "Over there. At the refreshment table. Looks like he's with Paige's sister. What's her name? Phoebe?"  
  
Olivia glanced across the room. Sure enough, there stood Cole and Phoebe - side by side. Cole's eyes met Olivia's. She glanced away. An arch smile formed on Olivia's lips. "Yeah, that's Phoebe all right. Did they arrive together?"  
  
According to Nathalie, Cole had arrived alone, and Phoebe with Paige. Barbara, Bruce and Harry had arrived together. Olivia barely heard a word coming from her friend's mouth. She was too busy observing the divorced pair that stood next to the long table. Fighting the jealousy that threatened to arise within her. "That's nice," Olivia murmured, her thoughts still on Cole and Phoebe.  
  
Nathalie added, "By the way, I've made my famous Raspberry Sunset punch. Your favorite. I suggest you sample a cup before it's all gone."  
  
"Sounds like a good idea," Olivia said. She strode toward the refreshment table, with Paul and Nathalie close at her heels. First stop - the punch bowl. There, she found Phoebe sampling a cup of Raspberry Sunset. "So, how is it?" she asked the Charmed One.  
  
Phoebe's eyes widened at the sight of the red-haired witch. She removed the cup from her lips. "Hi . . . uh, Olivia. The punch is great." She squirmed with discomfort. "You should try it."  
  
Olivia turned to face Cole and noticed that he also held a plastic cup. Only it contained something different. Nathalie also noticed. "No punch for you?" the dark-haired witch asked. She reached for a cup and filled it with punch.  
  
Before the half-demon could answer, Olivia said, "Cole doesn't like raspberries." Again, her eyes met Cole's. "Raspberries and Coconut cake. Isn't that right?"  
  
A frown appeared on Phoebe's face, as she glanced sharply at Cole. "Coconut cake? That's one of Piper's specialties. And Grams'. You never said that you didn't like . . ."  
  
Nathalie thrust the cup of punch into Olivia's hand. "Here, Livy. Take a sip."  
  
Olivia did as her friend ordered. The punch, as usual, tasted delicious. However, Olivia detected a flavor other than raspberry. "Say Nat, did you add something else into the punch? Like boysenberries?"  
  
A sigh left Nathalie's mouth. "You noticed it, too? So did Bruce and Barbara. I had accidentally added some of my boysenberry cordial into the punch. I was on the phone, at the time."  
  
"More cordial?" Cole said with a smirk. "You're a regular little moonshiner, aren't you?" Nathalie rolled her eyes.  
  
Then Paul asked his hostess for a cup of punch. Nathalie filled another cup and handed it to him. Paul took a sip. "Hmmm, delicious. You sure you don't want to try a sip?" he said to Cole. "Or maybe you would prefer some Coconut cake?" A smirk appeared on his lips.  
  
Olivia had to refrain from rolling her eyes at Paul's lame joke. Cole, on the other hand, merely responded with a cool look. Then he turned to Nathalie. "By the way, I had noticed a few old acquaintances of mine. I didn't realize you were familiar with any demons."  
  
"Demons?" Phoebe's eyes grew wide with alarm. "You have demons, here?" She scanned the room.  
  
Nathalie shrugged. "Only a few. Along with one or two warlocks. I got to know them, while researching for my last book. They had provided me with some interesting stuff."  
  
Olivia glanced around. She spotted a familiar face among the crowd. It was Riggerio, talking with a pretty young woman. "Well, look who's here," she said, nodding at the demon.  
  
Paul frowned. "Isn't that . . . what's his name . . . Riggerio?" He gave Nathalie a sharp look. "You really do have demons here, other than Turner!"  
  
"Well, yeah." Nathalie's mouth stretched into a dreamy smile, as she regarded the Italian speaking demon. "As for Riggerio, he's such a sweetheart. He gave me a lot of information on demons known in the Stregheria world. Charming man."  
  
Olivia smirked. "You're not the only one who thinks so." Her comment drew stares from both Cole and Paul. She ignored them.  
  
Paul, on the other hand, seemed disturbed by the presence of demons at the party. "I can't believe that you . . . I mean . . . aren't you disturbed by the idea of having demons here?" He shot Cole a baleful look.  
  
"It depends upon the demon," Nathalie replied shortly. Before Paul could respond, the doorbell rang. "What do you know, more guests." She smiled at the three witches and half-demon. "Why don't you guys help yourselves to more punch and some food. It's time for me to play hostess, again. Catch you later." She immediately walked away.  
  
Cole heaved a sigh and gathered his plate of food. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm going to have some fun. I have a few friends to get reacquainted with." He flashed Olivia a quick smile that seemed to bother both Paul and Phoebe.  
  
As Paul watched the half-demon walk away with hostile eyes, he grumbled, "What he hell kind of party is this, anyway? Witches and demons mixing together?"  
  
"Don't forget warlocks," Olivia added. She reached for a canapé. "But that's Nathalie for you. Always the equal opportunity hostess."   
  
* * * *   
  
The Doobie Brothers singing "What a Fool Believes" blasted from the nearby CD player. Paige sat in one of the empty chairs against the far wall, eating lamb kabobs and watching some of the guests dance in the middle of the room. She could not help but wondered if Nathalie Gleason had some kind of fixation for music from the 1970s. Or if any of the guests were aware how badly they danced.   
  
At least two of the dancers did not seem lacking in talent. Paige focused on one particular pair - Barbara and Bruce. Not only were they dancing in rhythm, they seemed . . . Paige's eyes narrowed. If her eyes were not deceiving her, she could have sworn that Barbara and Bruce were grinding their bodies against each other. In a very suggestive manner. How odd.  
  
Paige caught sight of another couple . . . locked in a sexual embrace. They seemed to be literally devouring each other's lips. Then she caught sight of a familiar figure - Riggerio. Paige frowned. What was 'he' doing here, and why was he crying? Before Paige could satisfy her curiosity, she saw Phoebe shooting wary glances at Cole, who was engaged in a conversation with a female witch. Poor Phoebe. The older Charmed One seemed torn between fear, wariness and desire. Weird. Then again, perhaps Phoebe's attitude was normal. Unlike a good number of other guests.  
  
It took Paige a moment to allow that last thought to sink in. She realized that many of the guests - save a handful - seemed to be acting very strangely over the past half hour. Emotions seemed to be running high. Exposed. Then Paige spotted Olivia re-enter the drawing-room, wearing a determined expression. And heading straight for Cole.  
  
Paige dumped her plate on the empty chair next to her and stood up. She strode toward Cole and Olivia. Trouble seemed to be brewing in the air and she had to stop it. Stop it before Olivia caused a . . .  
  
"There you are." A pair of hands caught hold of Paige's waist and drew her back against a man's body. What the hell? "What do you know? I've finally been able to catch you alone. Are you trying to keep away from me?"  
  
Huh? Paige frowned. The voice sounded familiar. As if it belonged to . . . She whirled around and found herself facing a tall man in his mid-twenties. A tall man with red hair, green eyes and a light sprinkle of freckles on a handsome face. "Harry?"  
  
The youngest McNeill grinned broadly. "The one and only. Miss me?" Hands still on Paige's waist, drew her closer to Harry.  
  
"Harry, what the hell are you doing?" Paige cried. "Let go." She struggled to wrestle out of his grip.  
  
"I'm facing the truth, for once." One hand began to travel up from Paige's waist. Slowly. "About us."  
  
"What are you talking about? There's no . . ."  
  
"Oh come on! Stop pretending! I admit I'm attracted to you. Have been for a long time." Soft lips planted a light kiss on Paige's neck, sending an unexpected thrill throughout her body. "And I know you've been attracted me."  
  
Paige fought down her desire. What the hell made Harry attempt something like this? And how did he know about her . . . ? "Where did you get this delusional idea that I was interested in you?" she cried out.  
  
"I'm a telepath," Harry replied smugly. "Remember?" And before Paige could protest any further, the other witch's lips crushed against hers.  
  
Her first instinct was to escape from Harry's embrace. Push him away. Unfortunately, Paige found herself unable to resist the warm lips that pressed against hers. Or the surge of passion that suddenly sprang within her, as his tongue slipped into her mouth. Caught up in Harry's kiss, Paige was unaware of her arms sliding around his neck. As their lips parted momentarily for air, Paige heard herself murmur, "Oh . . . oh God! What am I doing?"  
  
"Kissing me," Harry murmured back. Then he pressed his lips against hers, once more.  
  
The kiss would have lasted longer, but the sound of voices penetrated Paige's mind. She gently broke away from Harry's embrace. "Wha . . . what's going on?" she asked.  
  
Harry replied breathlessly, "Nothing. Just us." He tried to kiss Paige again, but she pushed him away. "Paige, why did you stop?" Desperation tinged his voice.  
  
"I thought I heard voices," she replied. "My sister." Paige glanced over Harry's shoulder. Her eyes fell upon a disturbing scene of her sister flying over the shoulder of one Olivia McNeill. Holy shit! "Oh God! Something has gone wrong between Phoebe and Olivia. I have to stop them." She quickly walked away, her mind no longer focused upon Harry and his tantalizing lips.  
  
END OF PART 2 


	3. Chapter 3

"WHATEVER YOU DESIRE" by RFK  
  
PART 3  
  
Loud voices and laughter mingled with the music coming from the CD player. Cole continued to nibble his food, as he watched the guests enjoy themselves. A couple walked past him, sank into a pair of nearby chairs and began to kiss each other. He glanced at the others guests and noticed that they all seemed to enjoying themselves a lot.  
  
Cole picked up a slice of cucumber and popped it into his mouth. As he chewed, he spotted Bruce and Barbara dancing together in the middle of the room. If one could call what they were doing - dancing. Their movements seemed more like stimulated sex. Moans came from the couple next to Cole. He glanced to his right and nearly choked on the cucumber. The couple was no longer merely kissing. They had progressed to outright grappling. And the man seemed intent upon opening his partner's blouse. What the hell was going on?  
  
"Hello." A lithe figure appeared before Cole. She plopped down upon the chair to his right. She was an attractive woman in her late twenties, with blonde hair and hazel brown eyes. She smiled at him. "My name is Winifred. What's yours?"  
  
The half-demon shot back a friendly smile. "Cole. My name is Cole."  
  
"Hmmm. Nice." Hazel-brown eyes swept appreciatively over Cole's face. "It suits you." Winifred's smile widened in a laviscious manner that made him feel uneasy. "So, how long have you known Nathalie?"  
  
Still uneasy over Winifred's suggestive scrutiny, Cole replied, "Uh, not that long. I had just met her, last fall. Before she left for . . ."  
  
Winifred leaned forward, her face barely an inch away from Cole's. "Do you wanna fuck?"  
  
The question took Cole by surprise. He blinked momentarily. "Huh? Uh . . . what did you say?"  
  
"I asked if you want to fuck. That is . . . fuck me." Winifred's pink tongue flickered between her lips. "We can go upstairs, together. Find ourselves an empty room and . . ."  
  
A third voice interrupted the intimate moment. "Well, well, well! If it isn't Winifred McKenna. Finally showing your true nature, aren't you Winnie?" Olivia loomed before the pair, hands on hips. "Chasing after anything in trousers." Her green eyes shone hard with malice. And jealousy.  
  
Winifred tore away from Cole and glared at the redhead. "What do you want, Olivia?" she demanded.  
  
"At the moment, to stop you from getting inside Cole's pants," Olivia shot back. "And to spare him from any future trauma."  
  
Hazel-brown eyes narrowed dangerously. A malicious sneer curled Winifred's lips. "If I didn't know any better, I'd swear that you were interested in him, yourself."  
  
Olivia's next words practically stunned Cole. "So what if I am? Besides, he would probably be better off with a ten-dollar whore than any time spent in your company. Then again," her eyes swept over the other witch in a contemptuous manner, "I don't really see that much difference between one and yourself."  
  
Winifred shot out of her chair, with eyes blazing. "Listen, you conceited bitch! I've had enough of your insults and your petty comments. I've had to put up with them for years! If you want to make more trouble, I'm more than ready to take you on!"  
  
"You couldn't take on a living soul, unless sex was involved!"  
  
The blond witch started toward Olivia, her hands balled into fists. Before a potential fight could blossom, Cole stepped between the two women. "Uh ladies," he began, "maybe it's time for you to take a breath and part ways. Before you end up hurting each other."  
  
"I certainly wouldn't mind hurting her," Winifred snarled.  
  
At that moment, Phoebe appeared before the group, causing Cole to heave an inward sigh. "What's going on?" she demanded. "Why is everyone fighting?" She cast a suspicious look at her ex-husband. "Did you say or doing anything to them?"  
  
Annoyed . . . no, angered by Phoebe's accusation, Cole snapped back, "No! I didn't! I was simply minding my own business when . . ."  
  
"The question you should ask yourself, Phoebe, is why are you here?" Olivia snidely interrupted. "This is between Cole, Winifred and myself. We didn't ask for your . . . help."  
  
Resentment darkened Phoebe's eyes even further. "Look, I'm only here because I thought I had spotted some trouble!"  
  
"Trouble caused by Cole, right?" Olivia accused.  
  
Cole watched Phoebe squirm with discomfort. "Well, it wouldn't exactly be the first time." Her words cut the half-demon to the quick. And made him wonder if Phoebe would ever let go of the past - real and imagined slights.  
  
Olivia - on the other hand - had another question on her mind. "Excuse me Phoebe, but what exactly brought you to this ridiculous conclusion? Or were you simply jumping to another conclusion in true Halliwell fashion?"  
  
Phoebe's body bridled with anger. "And just what in the hell did you mean by that?"  
  
"What do you think?" Olivia retorted. "From what I know about your family - especially Prue - you practically have a history of jumping to conclusions."  
  
In a dangerously low voice, Phoebe growled, "Don't you dare even mention my family. Especially Prue."  
  
"Or what?" Olivia challenged. "You'll kick my ass?"  
  
Before Phoebe could react, Paul Margolin materialized. Cole rolled his eyes in disgust and sighed. "Olivia! There you are!" the ADA declared breathlessly. "Why did you disappear on me, like that?"  
  
Looking slightly annoyed, Olivia replied, "To have a good time."  
  
"Olivia!"  
  
"How can you treat him like that?" Phoebe demanded in an outraged voice. "Paul is probably the best thing that will ever happen to you!"  
  
A sardonic smirk curved Olivia's lips. "Is that what you saw in a premonition? Or are you simply assuming again?"  
  
At the same time, Winifred leaned toward Cole and whispered in his ear. "Hey! About my offer - are you still interested?"  
  
Cole stared at her. "What?"  
  
"Do you wanna go upstairs and fuck?"  
  
"No!" he shot back, sounding more annoyed than he had intended.  
  
A grimace marred Winifred's pretty face. "What's your damage, pal?" She turned to Paul. "Hey handsome! You wanna fuck?"  
  
Margolin's eyes grew wide. "What the hell?"  
  
"I believe that she had asked if you wanted to . . ." Cole began.  
  
"I heard what she had said!" Paul cried. "And the answer is no!"  
  
Disappointment flicked in Winifred's eyes. "Fine! See if I care!" She walked away, muttering, "Bunch of goddamn prudes."  
  
Meanwhile, Olivia and Phoebe's quarrel had grown to mammoth proportions. "I think that I know enough about romance to figure out that you're making a mistake with Paul!" Phoebe was declaring out loud. "I am an advice columnist, you know!"  
  
"How did someone like you, whose idea of romance is at the level of a fairy tale for children, ever become an advice columnist?" Olivia retorted. "And I don't recall ever asking for your advice!"  
  
Phoebe shot back, "I happen to give great advice! And I don't see how you can ever consider Cole as a friend or a boyfriend, especially after all you had put up with that warlock you were engaged to!"  
  
Green eyes became stunned. "What? Are you talking about Richard?"  
  
Phoebe continued, "Of course I am! Leo told us all about him. How you two were engaged and how he had ended up killing your aunt."  
  
Cole wondered if Leo really knew the true story behind Richard Bannen's death. Judging from Olivia's reaction, apparently not. "Sounds like Leo has been telling another one of his whitelighter fantasies!" Olivia cried. "He doesn't know what really happened. He wasn't there and he didn't want to find out! Your brother-in-law was too busy being relieved over Richard's death to bother! As to how I can bear having Cole in my life? Well, that's simple! Because I love him! I'm in love with him!"  
  
Olivia's words brought about a stunned silence within the room. Strains of "I Will Survive" filled the air. Cole stared at the red-haired witch, wondering if he had heard right. So did Phoebe and Margolin.  
  
"You're . . . you're in love . . . with him?" Margolin demanded. "With Cole? I don't . . . why him? Why are you with me?"  
  
Phoebe recovered from the moment and replied spitefully, "Because she knows that Cole is still in love with me. Right Cole?" Dark eyes sought out Cole for confirmation.  
  
Cole barely heard Phoebe. Olivia's confession continued to reverberate in his mind. "I . . . uh . . ."  
  
"What?" Phoebe demanded. "You still love me. Why don't you say it?"  
  
Aware of the pairs of eyes upon him, Cole felt a surge of embarrassment. And a stab of pity toward his ex-wife. Six months ago, he could have easily replied with a resounding 'yes'. Now . . .  
  
"Hmmm, something tells me that Cole can't answer your question the way you want, Phoebe," Olivia said with a sneer.  
  
"Cole!" Phoebe's eyes grew wide with outrage. "Say something!"  
  
Cole looked away and focused his attention on the refreshment table. "God! I'm hungry. I hope there's still some more food left."  
  
"Why won't you tell Olivia that you still love me?" Phoebe's voice rang loud and clear in Cole's ears.  
  
Very reluctantly, Cole faced his ex-wife. He struggled to keep the pity away from his expression. "Uh, Phoebe . . . I, uh . . ." He cleared his throat, nervously. "Of course I still love you, Phoebe." The Charmed One's lips curved into a triumphant smile. Cole continued, "But not in the way you think. I'm not . . ." Shit! He took a deep breath. "I'm just not in love with you. Anymore."  
  
"WHAT??"  
  
Cole continued, "Look Phoebe, I can't help how I feel. I . . . it's just not the same." He paused. "Sorry."  
  
Outrage and disbelief replaced the triumph in Phoebe's eyes. "What do you mean that you're . . . I don't believe you! When did this happen?"  
  
"Perhaps when you had decided to push him away, instead of dealing with your marriage problems," Olivia taunted. "Pretty typical of you, isn't it? 'Run For Your Life' Halliwell. She would rather run to the bosom of her family than deal with any problems in her relationships. That's about right, isn't it?"  
  
Phoebe's eyes slit with pure dislike and anger. "Okay! That's it!" she retorted. "I've had enough of your shit!" Both of her fists snaked out to punch Olivia. Unfortunately for Phoebe, the older woman possessed quicker reflexes. Olivia managed to easily block both punches, grab one of Phoebe's arms and flip her onto the floor.  
  
Seconds later, Paige appeared by Margolin's side. She glanced down at the sprawling Phoebe, whose eyes were wide with shock. A frown appeared on her face, as she declared, "Oh God! What the hell is going on?"  
  
* * * *   
  
"What the hell is going on?" Nathalie demanded, repeating Paige's question without realizing it. She stared down at Phoebe. "What the . . . why is Whatshername . . .?"  
  
Paige interjected, "Phoebe." She began to help her sister stand up.  
  
"Yeah. Why was she on the floor?"  
  
Both Cole and Olivia's other friend began to talk at the same time. At least Cole tried to explain. The other man - Nathalie recalled that Olivia called him Paul - seemed bent upon blaming the half-demon for the whole fiasco.   
  
"Ask Belthazor!" Paul accused angrily. "He started this whole mess by setting Olivia and Phoebe against each other! I wouldn't be surprised if he had planned it all!"  
  
Cole stared at the witch, as if the latter had lost his mind. "What the . . . How in the hell did you drum up this delusion?"  
  
"I'm not delusional!" Paul retorted. "You know damn well that you had started the whole thing by cozying up to that slut!"  
  
Nathalie blinked. "Slut? Who are you talking about?"  
  
"He's talking about Winifred McKenna. She was . . ." Olivia rolled her eyes. ". . . making a play for Cole. I stopped her." A smug smile tugged the corners of her lips.  
  
Nathalie wondered if she had heard right. "Winifred? Are you talking about Tight-Ass McKenna, who once raised a fuss over a male stripper at a bridal shower?"  
  
Olivia snorted with derision. "Oh please! That little prim attitude of hers is just an act! Winifred would jump into a guy's pants at the crook of a finger."  
  
Not even Nathalie could deny Olivia's words. She was well aware of Winifred McKenna's true nature, behind the high moral act. Apparently, Winifred had finally decided to show her true colors. Only Nathalie could not understand why.   
  
"And this all started because of this Winifred person?" Paige asked. "So how did her hitting on Cole lead to Phoebe laying on the floor?" A pair of arms wrapped around her waist. Nathalie saw Harry McNeill's head appear on Paige's shoulder. She let out a squeal. "Hey! What the . . .? Harry?"  
  
The youngest McNeill grinned. "What's going on?" His arms remained fastened around Paige's waist.  
  
"Harry, do you mind letting go of me?" Paige demanded.  
  
"Not until we finish our kiss."  
  
All eyes fell upon Paige and Harry. "Kiss?" Phoebe said, frowning. "You two were kissing?"  
  
"We weren't . . ." Paige said with a sigh. "Okay, he did kiss me."  
  
Olivia's green eyes grew wide. "He kissed you? Harry?"  
  
Suspicion tingled at the back of Nathalie's neck. "Okay, what in the hell is going on?" she demanded. "Harry kissing Paige? Winifred openly hitting on men? What the hell is this?"  
  
"That is what I would like to know," Cole added in a voice tinged with suspicion. "And the sooner we find out, the better. That means . . ." With a wave of his hand, Olivia, Phoebe, Harry and Paul all disappeared. ". . . we find out with less trouble, as possible."  
  
Paige cried out, "What did you do with them?"  
  
"I sent them upstairs," Cole explained. "To separate rooms. Now," he faced Nathalie with a stern expression, "what is going on?"  
  
Feeling slightly intimidated by the half-demon's questioning, Nathalie protested, "How the hell should I know? Why are you asking me?"  
  
"Because nearly everyone at this damn party is acting strange," Cole shot back. "They're all acting so . . ."  
  
Paige added, "Emotional?"  
  
Blue eyes widened in realization. "Yeah," Cole replied in a distant voice. "That's it. Not only emotional, but very open. It's like everyone is being open about their feelings." His eyes focused upon Nathalie, once more. "What was it that you said about Winifred?"  
  
Nathalie shrugged. "That she's known as Tight-Ass McKenna? And that she had once raised a fuss about male strippers?"  
  
"Yeah, but she wasn't acting like a tight ass, tonight. In fact, she was all over me." Cole glanced to his side. Nathalie's gaze followed his. She saw a couple engaged in the act of tearing off each other's clothes. "Like them. Why would someone like Winifred start acting so promiscuously? "  
  
Paige shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Booze?"  
  
"Hold on there!" Nathalie protested. "Are you talking about my punch?"  
  
"Well, I haven't drank any."  
  
Cole added, "Neither have I."  
  
"And me," Nathalie said. "But if you're talking about my raspberry cordial, you're mistaken. The amount of alcohol in it was very little."  
  
Cole pointed at the couple. "Then how do you explain them? Or Olivia and the others? I mean, there must have been something wrong with the punch. What about that boysenberry that Olivia had detected?"  
  
"That was simply boysenberry cordial," Nathalie explained. "I'll show you." She marched toward the kitchen, with Cole and Paige close at her heels. Once inside, Nathalie opened one of the cabinets and reached for her bottle of boysenberry cordial. She handed the bottle to Cole. "That is what I had accidentally put into the punch."  
  
"Are you sure?" Cole thrust the bottle back into Nathalie's hand. "This bottle looks as if it hasn't been opened."  
  
Nathalie stared at the bottle. "What?" Sure enough, not only did it looked filled, the top seemed screwed on tight. As if it had not been opened. "I don't understand," she said with a frown. "This is the only bottle of boysenberry cordial in the . . ." Then she remembered. Her plans for her upcoming book. The potion she had planned to use. "Oh Goddess!"  
  
"What?" Paige demanded.  
  
"The potion."  
  
Cole's eyes narrowed. "What potion?"  
  
Reaching inside the cabinet, Nathalie retrieved another bottle. It matched the bottle of boysenberry cordial in size and color. She took a deep breath and continued, "Uh, remember that book I had told you about? The one I plan to write on mythology and the Western psyche?"  
  
Paige nodded. "Yeah, I remember."  
  
Nathalie hesitated before she continued, "Well, I had also planned to conduct an experiment, involving a potion I had created." She paused dramatically. "A potion made from boysenberries for flavor. And bluebells."  
  
"Oh shit!" Cole murmured. He obviously knew for what bluebells were used. Paige stared at him questioningly. "Bluebells are used to free a person's inhibitions. Allow them to be truthful about their emotions and desires."  
  
Realization lit up Paige's eyes. "Oh shit!" She reached for the bottle of potion. "Oh my God! Nathalie, you must have put some of this in the punch by mistake. No wonder Harry was all over me." Her eyes widened even further. "Wait a minute! Harry has a thing for me?"  
  
"This also explains Olivia and Phoebe's little bitch fest," Cole grimly added. Again, his eyes bored into Nathalie's. "Is there something you can make to counter this potion?"  
  
The force of Cole's stare caused Nathalie to take a step backward. "Uh . . . well, no." Noticing the vexed expressions on both Cole and Paige's faces, she continued, "But I do know a herb that can cleanse the potion out of their systems. I can make a tea or another kind of drink from it."  
  
"Then I suggest that you start preparing whatever you have in mind," Cole coolly added. "Now."  
  
Intimidated by the half-demon's displeasure, Nathalie responded with a wan smile. "Right." She returned to the cabinet. "Now, all I have to do is find my herbs."  
  
END OF PART 3 


	4. Chapter 4

"WHATEVER YOU DESIRE" by RFK  
  
PART 4  
  
(NOTE: This chapter is rated R and features sexual situations. Which is why it took me so damn long.)  
  
Steam rose above the sherry brown liquid inside the punchbowl. Paige stared at it. "What is this?" she asked, wrinkling her nose.  
  
"Glogg," Nathalie answered. "It's a Scandinavian punch. Very delicious. It's usually served around the Christmas holiday. However, I don't think you should drink any of it. There's whiskey in it. And I had added a touch of Valerian in it to put everyone to sleep. At least for an hour or two. And I had also added some cloves and Cedar Wood to help cleanse out the potion." She filled four paper cups with Glogg. "Okay, there's a cup for each of our prisoners, upstairs. And I'll deliver the rest of the punch to the other guests."  
  
Both Paige and Cole grabbed two cups each, and disappeared from the kitchen. They reappeared in the middle of the second-floor corridor. "Okay," Cole said, "how do you want to handle this?"  
  
"I'll give Phoebe and Paul their punch," Paige replied. "And you can provide the same service for the McNeills."  
  
Anxiety flared in Cole's blue eyes. "Uh . . . maybe you should deal with Olivia."  
  
A knowing smile curved Paige's mouth. "Why?" she asked in an innocent voice. She stared at the half-demon.  
  
"Because . . ." Much to Paige's delight, Cole squirmed with discomfort. Then, "Never mind. I'll deal with her, myself." Paige allowed herself a smile. Which disappeared after Cole's next words. "Oh, by the way, I noticed that you left me to deal with a certain Harrison McNeill." Paige glanced up and saw the cryptic smile on Cole's lips.  
  
She frowned. "And what's that supposed to mean? Are you saying that I'm trying to avoid Harry? Because I'm not." Cole's smile remained fixed. Paige added, "And did you just call him Harrison?"  
  
"Yes. Harrison. Like in Harrison Ford," Cole said. "And I never said anything about you avoid him. You did." He opened one of the doors and peaked inside. "Speak of the devil, he's in here. Are you sure you don't want to deliver his punch?" Paige glared at him. Cole immediately wiped the smile from his face. "I guess the answer is no." He entered the room.  
  
Paige walked over to the next room. She peeked inside and found Paul Margolin pacing back and forth. She entered and greeted the ADA with a cheerful, "Hey! How are you doing?"  
  
Paul faced her, his expression marred by a scowl. "What the hell am I doing here?" he demanded angrily. "And why can't I get out?"  
  
After a brief hesitation, Paige answered, "Uh . . . I think Cole may have cast some kind of spell to keep you from leaving. Sorry about that. Here." She handed Paul one of the cups of punch.  
  
He glanced down at it. "What's this?"  
  
"Glogg. Nathalie made some more punch. Only it's a hot punch. Some kind of Scandinavian drink. It's very good."  
  
The male witch glanced at the punch for a second time and dismissed it. "I'm not thirsty. What I am is pissed off for being stuck in here. And finding out what Belthazor is up to."  
  
"Paul, he's not up to anything," Paige assured him. "And his name is also Cole. As for the punch," she held out the cup, once more, "try it. Before it gets cold."  
  
Paul ignored the offer. "You know, when Leo first told me about the job opening at the DA's Office, I had wondered why he seemed so eager for me to move to the West Coast. Now, I know why."  
  
Paige frowned at Paul's words. "Did you just say . . .? Leo had told you about the job opening?"  
  
"Well, yeah," Paul continued. "I didn't understand it myself, until I met Olivia. And Belthazor. I'm beginning to see that Leo needed me . . . to save Olivia from 'him'."  
  
For a second, Paige wondered if the ADA had lost his mind. "Wait a minute," she demanded, "are you saying that Leo wanted you out here . . . to save Olivia from Cole?"  
  
"Of course!" Paul retorted. "Don't you see?" He resumed his pacing. "Or understand? Olivia . . . she . . . God! I don't know how to begin to describe her. On the surface, she seems completely wrong for me. She's too independent. She doesn't respect the relationship between a whitelighter and a witch. She breaks the rules, all of the time. She's sarcastic and perverse. And worst of all, she's just a little too tolerant of the wrong kind of people. People - if you can put him in this category - like Belthazor. And yet," Paul's expression softened, "I love her so much. God help me, but I do. There's no one like her."  
  
Paige stared uneasily at the other witch. "Yeah. Well, you've described Olivia to a T. Um, you still want some punch?"  
  
Paul's next outburst nearly caused Paige to jump out of her skin. "I have to save her! I have to save Olivia. If Belthazor ever get the best of her . . ." He shook his head in despair. "It'll just be a repeat of what you and your sisters went through."  
  
The mention of Cole and Phoebe's relationship sparked a brief flare of anger within Paige. Along with a touch of guilt over her own contributions to the couple's breakup. Paige took a deep breath and reminded herself on why she was here. Sporting a false smile, she held out the cup of punch, once more. "Well, while you're thinking of ways to save Olivia, why don't you have a drink?"  
  
To Paige's relief, Paul took the cup and began to drink.  
  
* * * *   
  
As Cole entered the bedroom, he found Harry sitting in a nearby chair, staring out of the window. The redhead glanced at the half-demon, at the sound of the door closing. He stood up. "Finally! Someone! Why in the hell can't I get out of here?"  
  
"After I had sent you here, I cast a spell to keep you inside and give you a chance to cool off. By the way," Cole held out the one cup of punch, "Nathalie made some more punch. Something called Glogg. Want to try it?"  
  
Harry seemed more interested in a certain witch than punch. "Where's Paige?" he demanded. "Why didn't she come to see me?"  
  
A sigh left Cole's mouth. "She's . . . uh, she's somewhere else. Look, why don't you try the punch?"  
  
"Somewhere else?" Harry frowned. "She's with someone, isn't she? Who?"  
  
"Harry . . ."  
  
The youngest McNeill continued, "Oh God! I know! Paige doesn't want to see me, does she? I bet I came on too strong."  
  
Cole stared at the witch. He noticed the lipstick smear on the younger man's mouth. Lipstick that happened to be Paige's particular shade of red. "God, you two really did kiss, didn't you? Or did you force . . .?"  
  
"No! Nothing like that!" Harry protested. "It was nothing. Just a little kiss between the two of us." His face almost matched the coloring of his hair.  
  
An amused smile quirked Cole's lips. "Well. That must have been some little kiss," he murmured. "I didn't realize that you were interested in Paige."  
  
Looking outraged, Harry retorted, "Who said I was interested?" A pause followed before he continued, "Okay, so I am interested in her. But I don't have a chance, now that she's dating that Sonny Crockett look-a-like. What's his name? Ned."  
  
"Nate," Cole corrected, still feeling amused.  
  
Harry rolled his eyes. "Whatever. What does she see in this guy, in first place? Do you think this thing with Crockett Junior will last?"  
  
"Why don't we cross our fingers and hope for the best. Meanwhile," Cole handed the cup of Glogg to Harry, "why don't you try this punch?"  
  
Heaving a disappointed sigh, Harry took the cup and lifted it in the air. "Thanks. Here's hoping that Paige and Ned . . ."  
  
"Nate."  
  
"Yeah. Nate. Here's hoping that it won't last." Then to Cole's relief, Harry took a swig of Glogg.  
  
* * * *   
  
A disconcerted grumble reached Paige's ears, as she entered the second bedroom. "Well, it's about time!" Phoebe cried. "Where have you been?"  
  
Paige glanced around the room. Judging by its size and furnishing, she suspected that it belonged to the mistress of the house. She smiled at her older sister. "Hey Pheebs! How is it going?"  
  
"Why can't I get out of here?" Good old Pheebs. Always to the point.  
  
"I don't know," Paige replied. "I think that Cole must have added some barrier spell or shield to keep you from leaving. I mean, you guys were acting pretty weird."  
  
Outrage poured out of Phoebe's mouth, as she denied any kind of strange behavior on her part. "It's not my fault! Olivia was the one acting like a bitch! You should have seen the way she had tore into that Winifred woman. And me!"  
  
"Uh, Pheebs? May I remind you that you tried to punch Olivia? You're lucky that all she did was toss you on the floor."  
  
Phoebe huffily retorted, "I was holding back!"  
  
"Yeah. Sure Phoebe." Paige held back a sigh. Poor Phoebe. Delusional, as always. "Anyway, here. Try this." She held out the cup of punch.  
  
Phoebe demanded, "What's that?"  
  
"Glogg." Paige explained that after Nathalie had ran out of cordial for her Raspberry Sunset, she decided to make something different. "It's one of those Scandinavian hot punches. Although I think your cup is only warm by now. Try it."  
  
Phoebe took the cup and murmured, "Thanks." She took a sip. "Hmmm, not bad."  
  
"Really?" The moment she uttered the word, Paige realized that she had made a mistake. The older stared at her with suspicious eyes. Paige quickly added, "I didn't get to try it. Whiskey. But Paul thought it was great."  
  
Nodding, Phoebe took another sip. "Speaking of Paul, is he in another room?"  
  
Paige cheerfully replied, "How did you know?" Phoebe gave her another sharp glance. The younger sister added, "He was acting a little hostile toward Cole. And I think he was getting on Olivia's nerves."  
  
"She really doesn't appreciate him," Phoebe commented. "I think he's too good for her." She sipped once more.  
  
"Who? Paul?"  
  
Phoebe nodded. "Yeah. Did you see how she treated him? Like annoying pest. He's ten times the witch she is. And he's a hell of a better prospect than someone like Cole."  
  
"Then why don't you date him?" The sarcastic remark came out of Paige's mouth before she could stop herself.  
  
"What?"  
  
Paige quickly added, "I'm just saying that I think Olivia is better off without the noble ADA. The guy's weird, Phoebe."  
  
"Are you saying that Olivia should be with Cole?" an incredulous Phoebe demanded. "Have you forgotten what I had to go through, because of him? What we all had to go through?"  
  
Paige sighed. Heavily. "God, Phoebe! Do we have to go through this, again?"  
  
"Cole is dangerous, Paige! Look at the mess he had caused, downstairs."  
  
Rolling her eyes, Paige replied, "Cole didn't cause that mess, Pheebs! It was that Winifred Whatshername. She tried to hit on Cole. She even tried with Paul. And it was Olivia who came down on her in a jealous fit. And don't forget that not only did you try to interfere; you even tried to get Cole to admit that he still loves you. And what's up with that?"  
  
"Well, it's the truth!" Phoebe angrily insisted. "Cole still loves me! In a sick, twisted way, of course. He's only hanging around Olivia to make me jealous."   
  
Paige regarded her sister with sad eyes. "Oh Phoebe."  
  
"What? Why are you looking at me, like that?" Anxiety filled Phoebe's dark eyes. "Are you saying that I still love Cole?" She finished the rest of her Glogg.  
  
Reluctantly, Paige opened her mouth. "Well . . ."  
  
"Well, forget it!" Phoebe retorted. Then she paused, as guilt crept into her expression. "All right. Maybe I am. But there can never be anything between us. Don't you understand, Paige? Cole is dangerous for me. He's too dangerous for Olivia. And you."   
  
What the hell? Paige stared at her sister, as if the latter had lost her mind. "What are you talking about, Phoebe? I'm not in love with Cole!"  
  
"But you're his friend." Phoebe approached the younger woman with concerned eyes. "Paige, try to understand. Cole is not a safe person to be around. Maybe you should . . . you . . ." She began to weave back and forth. Then she gave Paige another suspicious stare. "What . . . what was in . . . this punch?" The empty cup slipped out of her hand, before she fell forward - onto the bed.  
  
Paige sighed and picked up the cup. She stared at the sprawled figure on the bed. Poor Phoebe, she thought. Mixed up and unhappy, as always. It did not surprise Paige that her sister remained in love with Cole. But she wondered if by rejecting him, Phoebe had made a colossal mistake. Paige also wondered if Olivia was doomed to follow in her sister's footsteps.  
  
* * * *   
  
Cole allowed himself one last glance at the slumbering Harry, before he closed the bedroom door behind him. He found Paige leaving another room. "So, how is our favorite ADA?" he asked the half-witch/whitelighter.  
  
"Fast asleep," Paige answered. "And so is Phoebe."  
  
"Phoebe?" Cole frowned. "You were coming from her room?"  
  
Paige nodded. "Well, yeah. You're finished with both Harry and Olivia, right?"  
  
Cole explained that he had only seen Harry. It had taken quite a while for the portion to affect the youngest McNeill. As Paige started toward the staircase, Cole added, "Where are you going?"  
  
"Hel-lo? Back downstairs?" the Charmed One replied. "To help Nathalie with the others guests. Why?"  
  
After a brief hesitation, Cole continued, "Well, I . . . I was wondering if you could . . ." He noticed the amused glimmer in Paige's dark eyes and realized that she knew . . . that he wanted her to give the last cup of punch to Olivia.  
  
A smile now tugged Paige's lips. "If I could do what?" she asked.  
  
Cole took in the smirk and Paige's amused expression. He heaved a sigh. "Nothing. Never mind. I'll . . . see you later." Paige turned away and resumed her walk toward the staircase. Another sigh left Cole's mouth. He squared his shoulders and entered the remaining bedroom.  
  
The moment he entered, Olivia bounced from the large bed and rushed toward the half-demon. "Cole!" he cried. Relief throbbed in her voice. "Thank goodness you're here! I can't seem to leave this room!" She threw herself into his arms.  
  
Gently, Cole kept Olivia at arms' length. "I had cast a barrier spell to keep you guys inside. You were . . . acting pretty strange."  
  
"What do you mean we were acting strange?" a frowning Olivia asked. "How?"  
  
Cole opened his mouth to speak, but he found himself unable to bring up her fight with Phoebe. Or the confession that had taken everyone by surprise - especially him. He shook his head. "It's nothing. You and Phoebe were about to get into it."  
  
"You mean that I was about to kick her ass." A bright smile lit up her beautiful face. "Right?" She moved closer to Cole. "But let's not talk about Phoebe. I'd rather talk about us." Olivia now stood less than an inch away from Cole.  
  
Desperate to ignore the warmth radiating from the redhead's body - and his own growing desire - Cole held out the last cup of punch. "Before we do, how about a nice cup of Glogg? Nathalie had decided to make something new."  
  
Olivia touched the side of the cup. "Isn't this supposed to be a hot drink?"  
  
"Wait a minute." Cole blew upon the drink. A stream of fire briefly touched the surface. When he finally handed the cup to Olivia, steam rose from it. "Here you go."  
  
"Where's your cup?" Olivia asked.  
  
Cole's eyes widened in surprise. "Huh?" He glanced down at his hands. "Oh. Uh, just a minute." A second later, he held a paper cup. Only it was not filled with Glogg. Cole raised the cup to his lips. "Well, cheers." He quickly drained the Seven-Up, inside.  
  
Olivia blinked. "Wow! You really must be thirty. Oh well." She took a drink of her Glogg. "Hmmm," she said between sips, "not bad. And I even like the bits of almond." Then she drank the rest of her punch and placed the empty cup on the small table, next to the bed.  
  
Cole observed her closely. "How do you feel?" he asked.  
  
A sultry smile curved Olivia's lips. She closed the space between them and slipped her arms around Cole's neck. "Ask me in another half-hour from now."  
  
"Uh . . . Olivia, what are you . . .?"  
  
"Doing?" she finished. The redhead planted a light kiss on Cole's nose. "What do you think?"  
  
Cole felt himself grow tight, between his legs. He gulped. "Olivia, I don't think this is a good ide . . ." Slim fingers began to unfasten his shirt buttons. After she had unfastened three, Olivia leaned forward and lightly kissed the patch of flesh, just below his throat. Cole felt himself grow even tighter. "Olivia . . ."  
  
"Shhhh. Relax," she murmured. "What do you think I'm going to do? Hurt you?" She kissed him again.  
  
"Olivia . . ." Cole paused, as Olivia's mouth captured his lower lip and tugged. "Olivia, this is not a good idea. Not now."  
  
She slowly forced Cole to step back, until he found himself falling on the bed. He let out a grunt, as Olivia's body landed upon his. "What's not a good idea?" she murmured. "This?" After unfastening more of his buttons, she pushed back his shirt, exposing his chest. Then she flicked her tongue across the tip of one of Cole's nipple. He shivered.  
  
"Oh God!" he moaned.  
  
Her mouth hovering over his nipple, Olivia murmured, "Hmmmm, you don't say." Then she covered said appendage with her lips and tugged and suckled it, simultaneously. Her ministrations drove the heat of Cole's desire several degrees higher. Olivia's lips then traveled down the center of his chest, until they reached the edge of his waistline. Just as she began to unfasten his belt, all reason left Cole, as he grabbed her waist and flipped her onto her back.  
  
"Well, this is unexpected," Olivia said in a surprised tone.  
  
Cole murmured, "Shut up." Then he stared briefly into green eyes that matched the desire he felt, before lowering his mouth upon hers. Cole kissed her with as much passion, as he could possible mustered. And judging from Olivia's response, it seemed to be a lot. Her mouth parted slightly and he slid his tongue inside, allowing it to touch hers. While they explored each other's mouth, Cole slowly unbuttoned Olivia's blouse. She moaned slightly, as his hand gently cupped a lace-covered breast. Cole's lips disengaged from Olivia's momentarily. He glanced at her lacy bra and noticed something different. "Oh, a clasp in the front." Breathing heavily, he released the clasp and pushed back the bra, revealing a pair of fleshy globes that quivered before his eyes.   
  
While he marveled at Olivia's breasts, he noted that they were perfectly shaped. Not to big and not too small. A perfect size 37. "What are you staring at?" she growled seductively. "Come here." Olivia grabbed the back of Cole's head and guided him toward her lips for a deep and passionate kiss. Then Cole removed his lips from hers, stared deeply into her glittering eyes, and took one protruding, coral-colored nipple into his mouth and gently began to suckle. Olivia arched her back and moaned out loud. As he continued to form wet circles around the tips of Olivia's breasts, one of her hands strayed back to his belt and began to unfasten it. Then she unzipped his pants and slipped the said hand inside. Cole's body nearly bucked upward, as he felt her fingers wrap around his member. She gently squeezed him several times, and Cole felt his body growing hotter and hotter. Then he decided that two could play at this game. He slipped his own hand underneath Olivia's skirt. She moaned again, while he caressed a smooth thigh. Reveling in the warm flesh, Cole allowed his hand to slide upward, until he reached Olivia's panties. He slid his hand inside the garment that was now damp and Olivia's moans grew louder. Just as he was about to slip two fingers inside her, Cole's eyes fell upon the empty paper cup on the night table. And remembered why he was here.  
  
Cole took a deep breath - barely impossible, with her hand still around his member, and removed his own hand from between her legs. "Olivia," he murmured in a low, harsh voice. He removed Olivia's hand from inside his trousers. "We have to . . . stop."  
  
"Wha . . .?" Confusion and disappointment whirled in Olivia's green eyes. "Why did you stop?" she demanded breathlessly.  
  
Staring into those eyes, Cole found himself unable to speak. When he finally regained his voice, he said, "Look . . . I . . . don't think . . ." A sigh left his mouth and he tore his gaze away from Olivia.  
  
"Cole? Is there something wrong?" Olivia clutched at his arm. "You're not going to walk away from me again, are you?"  
  
Memories of that New Year kiss flashed in Cole's mind. He did not want a repeat of that little debacle - the kiss, his flight and Olivia's anger, which had lasted for nearly three weeks. But that cup on the night table reminded him that Olivia was under the influence of Nathalie's potion and not in her right mind. He almost came close to taking advantage of her. And it was the last thing he wanted to do.  
  
Taking another breath, Cole reached down to push Olivia's red curls away from her forehead. "Look, Olivia. I want to be with you. More than you can possibly know. It's just . . . well, now is simply not the right time."  
  
"Why the hell not?" Olivia demanded.  
  
"Olivia . . ."  
  
Before Cole could say another word, Olivia captured his mouth with her own. Lips and tongues soon danced together, to form another passionate kiss. As his reluctance dissipated, Cole again allowed one of his hands to slide up Olivia's thigh. Before he could do anything further, he felt her body relax. Olivia flopped back on the bed and drifted into a deep sleep.  
  
Cole removed his hand from her thigh. He slowly scrambled off the bed and began to fasten his shirt buttons. His eyes took note of Olivia's face and her half-naked state. With a wave of his hand, she was fully clothed again. Then he heaved a regretful sigh and left the room.  
  
END OF PART 4 


	5. Chapter 5

"WHATEVER YOU DESIRE" by RFK  
  
PART 5  
  
"Paige? Stop staring at him like that. Please!" Nathalie added for good measure.  
  
A fleeting spark of guilt lit up the young witch's eyes, before she tore them away from the demon sitting in one of the kitchen chairs. Sobbing. Paige refocused her eyes on the cup of Glogg sitting on the table. "Sorry," she muttered.  
  
Nathalie sighed and said to the sobbing Stregheria demon. "Riggerio? Listen sweetie, why don't you finish your Glogg? It'll help you feel better."  
  
More tears fell from the handsome demon's eyes. "I do not know, Nathalie," he sobbed. "You should have seen her. That woman looked just like my . . . my Sofia. It's just . . . just too much for me to bear."  
  
Paige whispered to Nathalie, "What is he talking about?"  
  
Nathalie whispered back, "A Stregheria witch named Sofia Pasolini. Riggerio and she were in love, some forty years ago. She was killed by a warlock named Fonetti."  
  
Shaking her head, Paige commented, "And I thought that Phoebe was the first witch to fall for a demon."  
  
"Oh no, honey. That sort of thing has happened a lot, over the years." Nathalie paused. "It happened to your grandmother."  
  
Paige's eyes grew round with shock. "What?"  
  
But Nathalie returned her attention to Riggerio, who had finished the last of his punch. "How do you feel, honey?" she asked. "Better?"  
  
The demon sighed. "A little. Your Glogg is excellent, by the way. Better than that Glogg I once had in Stock . . . uh, Stooo . . . why do I feel so strange?" Then he swayed slightly, rolled his eyes and slumped forward on the table.  
  
At that moment, Cole entered the kitchen. He glanced at his fellow demon and said, "I see that you've finally found a way to stop his crying."  
  
"I had added an extra touch of Valerian to make sure that I knock him out, right away," Nathalie replied. "I guess it's okay for him to sleep here."  
  
Cole added, "Better here than in the other rooms. The whole place looks like the aftermath of a battle. Especially with all of those bodies strewn about."  
  
"So much for your party," a mournful Paige said.  
  
Nathalie dismissed the comment with a wave of her hand. "Don't be too sure. The antidote should keep everyone out for at least an hour or two. And it's not even ten o'clock, yet. The night's still young."  
  
"The night is over, Nathalie," Cole declared firmly. "That Valerian might wear out within an hour or so, but it might take everyone a lot longer to recover from its aftereffects. By the way, how much Valerian did you put in the Glogg? It nearly took Olivia and Harry forever to fall asleep."  
  
Nathalie stared briefly at Cole, as she noticed a few things different about him. A slow smile crept across her face. "Well, of course it took longer for them. They're redheads."  
  
"Meaning?"  
  
"Meaning," Nathalie continued, "it has been recently discovered that redheads require more anesthesia during operations. They have some kind of genetic mutation that gives them a higher resistance to drugs. You . . . uh, had a little problem with them?"  
  
Cole rolled his eyes and sat in the chair, opposite the unconscious Riggerio. "Tell me about it."  
  
"Is that why you have lipstick on your chest?" Nathalie asked saucily. She nodded at Cole's gaping shirt.  
  
The half-demon's fingers immediately flew to his shirt and began to fasten the remaining buttons. "That's an old scar, not lipstick," he murmured, as his face turned red.  
  
"A scar with the same coloring as Olivia's lipstick? And what's that on your neck? Another . . . scar?" An amused Nathalie watched the half-demon squirm with discomfort.  
  
A snicker escaped from Paige's mouth. Cole glared at her. "Okay," he said with a defeated sigh, "so things got out of hand with Olivia," he grumbled. "She got a little . . . aggressive. But nothing happened."  
  
Nathalie's smile widened. "Of course. Whatever you say."  
  
The door swung open in a violent manner. Bruce and Barbara stumbled into the kitchen, their clothes in disarray. "Hey!" Barbara declared cheerfully. "Is the party over?"  
  
* * * *   
  
Phoebe slowly made her way downstairs to the Halliwells' living room, the following morning. Upon arriving, she found the room empty and strode toward the kitchen. Sure enough, her family - sans Leo - was there, eating breakfast at the kitchen table.   
  
"She's awake!" Paige declared in a genial voice. "Finally!"  
  
Groaning aloud, Phoebe asked, "What time is it?"  
  
Piper glanced at the kitchen clock. "Eight forty-five. I'm surprised that you're up, already. I thought you would be sleeping a lot longer, considering how hung over you looked when Paige brought you home, last night."  
  
This time, Phoebe sighed. She eased her body into the remaining empty chair. "I still feel hung over. The last several hours seem to be a blur. The last thing I remember is eating and drinking some raspberry punch." She paused and glanced at Paige. "Shouldn't you be leaving for work, by now?"  
  
Paige said, "I just got a call from Barbara. Ostera's will be closed, today. Barbara is . . . recovering."  
  
"Is that all you remember from last night?" Piper asked. "Just eating?"  
  
A frown creased Phoebe forehead. "That, and talking to Cole, Olivia and Paul. Only I don't know what about."  
  
"You mean that you don't remember . . ." Paige broke off and shook her head. "Never mind."   
  
Phoebe demanded, "Never mind what? What happened? I know about the potion in the punch. You told me about it, last night. But that's all I remember."  
  
Piper glanced at Paige. "Well, our little sister didn't tell me much. Other than the party had ended early, because of the potion. And the antidote this Nathalie person had later served. What kind of potion was in that punch?"  
  
"It was made from bluebells," Paige said, as she cut into her sausage patty. "Which are used to free a person's inhibitions. You know, causes them to be more open about their feelings."  
  
Frowning, Piper said, "Wait a minute. Has this something to do with that ridiculous theory that we had heard about duel psyches or something?"  
  
"I wouldn't exactly call it ridiculous, Piper." Paige popped the piece of sausage into her mouth and chewed. "You didn't see a demon weep uncontrollably over the memory of a dead witch."  
  
"What?" Both Phoebe and Piper screeched at the same time.  
  
Then Phoebe added, "Are you talking about Riggerio? I remember seeing him at the party."  
  
"There were DEMONS at the party?" Piper demanded.  
  
Paige nodded. "Yeah. I mean, Cole was there. And so were Riggerio and three other demons. They were all affected by the bluebell potion. Well, except for Cole, who didn't drink any of the punch."  
  
"Five demons and not a drop of blood was spilled?" Piper asked in a disbelievingly voice.  
  
"Not a drop," Paige replied. "Although . . ." she hesitated, "there were a few flare-ups." Her eyes slid toward Phoebe, who stared back. "Including one between Pheebs and Olivia."  
  
Phoebe warily eyed her younger sister. "What exactly happened?"  
  
"Oh, nothing much. You two got into a fight. You tried to punch Olivia. She blocked you and tossed you onto the ground." Paige shrugged her shoulders. "Simple."  
  
Phoebe groaned. "Oh God! I can't believe . . ." She stared at Paige. "Wait a minute! Why would I attack Olivia?"  
  
"Because of the potion," Paige explained in a matter-of-fact tone that irritated Phoebe. "It had released all of your inhibitions."  
  
Curiosity gleamed in Piper's eyes. "Exactly what kind of inhibitions are we talking about?"  
  
Paige hesitated before she answered. "Oh, like Phoebe's feelings for Cole."  
  
"I have no feelings for Cole!" Phoebe retorted. "He means nothing to me!"  
  
Rolling her eyes, Paige shot back, "If that's true, why did you get into a fight with Olivia? I mean, God Phoebe! You practically admitted to me that you still love him. You practically tried to get him to admit that he still felt the same about you. And when Olivia had pointed out that he didn't, you attacked her."  
  
Panic rose within Phoebe, as her sister's words spewed out. Paige had to be wrong! There was no way she would get into an argument with another woman over Cole! "You can't be right!" Phoebe protested.  
  
"Pheebs . . ."  
  
"I don't know where you got this idea, Paige, but you're wrong! You probably misunderstood something I had said, because I am quite certain that I don't love Cole."  
  
Heaving a sigh, Paige surrendered. "Okay, Phoebe. If that's what you want to believe." Then her dark eyes glittered, as they pinpointed Phoebe's. "But you can't keep lying to yourself, Pheebs. Sooner or later, you feelings are going to come out. And it might be at the worst time, possible."  
  
Phoebe silently vowed that it would never happen. Because as far as she was concerned, she had no feelings for Cole. No matter what Paige believed.  
  
* * * *   
  
Paul was sipping a glass of apple juice, when Leo materialized in the middle of his apartment. "Hey Paul!" the whitelighter cheerfully greeted.  
  
A groan escaped the witch's mouth. "Morning Leo. What brings you here?"  
  
Leo explained that he had heard about Nathalie Gleason's party from Paige. And the potion that accidentally ended up in the hostess' Raspberry Sunset punch. "Yeah, if you can call it an accident," Paul grumbled. "I'm beginning to think that she added it on purpose."  
  
"That doesn't sound like Nathalie Gleason," Leo said with a shake of his head. He sat down on the living room sofa. "She may be unorthodox, but she would never used magic on someone without his or her permission."  
  
Another grunt left Paul's mouth. "Yeah. Whatever." He gulped down the last of his juice. "So, did Paige and Phoebe give you the details? Because I sure as hell don't remember them. Well, I do remember waking up in a strange bedroom, feeling groggy. And seeing Beltha . . . uh, Turner talking to Phoebe at the refreshment table." He added in a morose voice, "And Olivia being jealous." A frown creased his forehead.  
  
"Paige wasn't exactly forthcoming when she and Phoebe came home, last night," Leo explained. "She had mentioned the potion, and the herb Miss Gleason used to cleanse the potion from your systems. Of course Paige, Cole and Miss Gleason didn't drink the punch, so they weren't affected."  
  
Paul sighed. "Lucky bastards," he mumbled darkly. "Because right now, I feel as if I had a close encounter with a cattle prod. God!"  
  
"That must be the Valerian that Miss Gleason added to the . . . uh, antidote. That's probably why you're still feeling groggy. A day's rest should do you some good." He paused, reluctant to express what was on his mind. "Uh Paul, can I ask you something? Are you sure that you don't remember anything after drinking the potion? Like anything between Olivia . . . and Cole?"  
  
Shaking his head, Paul replied, "No, nothing." He gave Leo a suspicious look. "Why? Did Paige say something?"  
  
"Not really. It's . . ." Leo sighed. "Well, according to Paige that potion had literally exposed everyone's feelings. I just thought . . ." Noticing the horrified expression on Paul's face, the whitelighter quickly amended his words. "Don't worry. It's nothing. Besides, if anything had happened, Paige would have said something. It's nothing." He gave Paul a reassuring smile. Yet, a small part of Leo did not feel so confident.  
  
* * * *   
  
The doorbell rang. Olivia sauntered over to the front door and glanced through the peephole. "Well, look who's here!" she drawled laconically, before opening the door. She greeted her new visitor. "Nathalie! I see that you've finally worked up the nerve to face me?"  
  
The dark-haired witch greeted both Olivia and her brothers with a nervous smile. "Hey Livy! You seem to be feeling better. Bruce. Harry."  
  
The McNeill brothers returned Nathalie's greeting with curt nods. "So, what are you doing here?" Olivia asked.  
  
"To apologize," Nathalie replied in a humble manner. "In fact, I want to apologize to all of you."  
  
Bruce asked, "Why didn't you simply call?"  
  
"Well, I did. I called your house." Nathalie added, "But your mom told me that you and Harry were here, at Olivia's apartment. So . . ." She held out a rectangular-shaped pan that contained some kind of dessert. "Here's my peace offering. A peach cobbler."  
  
Harry rose from his chair and walked over to the two women. "Cobbler? Did you make one for each guest at your party?" he asked Nathalie.  
  
"No, just for the three of you. The last thing I want to be is on the bad side of a McNeill." Nathalie smiled at Bruce. "Especially since one of them is getting married."  
  
Shaking his head, an amused Bruce said, "Your invitation will be in the mail. Don't worry."  
  
Nathalie immediately perked up. "Great!"  
  
"Wait a minute!" Olivia gave her friend a dark look, as she took the cobbler. "You're still on the bad side of this particular McNeill."  
  
Dark eyes pleaded with the red-haired woman. "Oh, c'mon Livy! You're not sore, are you? Putting that potion in the punch was an accident. I swear!"  
  
"You know something, Nat? I don't even know why I had bothered to accept your party invitation in the first place," Olivia retorted. "The last time you had one, I ended up acting as referee between two warlocks, whose covens were involved in a blood feud. But this . . ." She shook her head in despair.  
  
Nathalie reached for the cobbler. "I guess that means my peace offering is out of the question."  
  
"Did I say that?" Olivia demanded, as she moved the cobbler out of Nathalie's reach. Then she added in a curt voice, "And by the way, you're forgiven for last night."  
  
The dark-haired witch replied sarcastically, "Gee, thanks."  
  
Olivia added, "However, we want to know what happened, last night."  
  
"Yeah," Bruce said. "Everything."  
  
After a brief hesitation, Nathalie did as she was asked. "Okay," she said to Bruce, "if you insist. For one thing, you and Barbara were at each other like cats in heat. All night long." The oldest McNeill's face turned beet red with embarrassment. Harry, on the other hand, chucked with amusement. "I wouldn't laugh if I were you, Harry. Especially since you were all over Paige Matthews."  
  
The smile on Harry's face disappeared. "What? What are you talking about? She's not even my type!"  
  
"Oh really? Then why were you trying to kiss her?" a smiling Nathalie asked. "I saw you."   
  
"I . . ." Harry hesitated. A giggle escaped from Olivia's mouth. He glared at her. "Okay, so I find her a little attractive. Why shouldn't I? I'm a man. She's a woman. What's the big deal?"  
  
Olivia's mouth curved into a smirk. "Don't worry, Harry. It's no big deal."  
  
"Oh, I don't know about that," Nathalie said. "From what I saw, Paige had no problem with returning your kiss." Again, Olivia giggled. Nathalie stared at her. "What are you laughing at? All Harry did was kiss Paige. He didn't get into a big fight over her."  
  
Olivia retorted archly, "Meaning?"  
  
"Meaning, you and Phoebe Halliwell managed to get into a big fight over a certain half-demon."  
  
Green eyes narrowed dangerously. "Excuse me?"  
  
"Honey," Nathalie said, shaking her head, "you don't want to know the whole truth. Trust me."  
  
Blind panic struck Olivia. For the umpteenth time since last night's party, she found herself wondering what happened to her, after drinking Nathalie's punch. Not even fear of any revelation regarding her true feelings for Cole, could squash her curiosity. "And what exactly is the truth?" she demanded. When Nathalie failed to answer, she added in a voice tinged with steel, "Nat, I suggest that you tell me what happened, now. I don't like being kept in the dark."  
  
Nathalie heaved a sigh. "Okay. If you insist." Then Olivia listen with horror, as the former revealed what happened last night - how one Winifred McKenna had tried to proposition Cole, Olivia and Phoebe's reactions, and the fight that had ensued between the latter two. "After that," Nathalie continued, "Cole had sent you, Phoebe, Harry and that Paul Margolin to separate bedrooms to cool off, while I made a bowl of Glogg with some cloves and cedar wood to cleanse out the potion. I don't know what happened when Cole and Paige went upstairs to give you guys your Glogg, but . . ."  
  
"But what?" Olivia demanded, interrupting. "What about upstairs?"  
  
The dark-haired witch's eyes grew wide with innocence. "Nothing. I have no idea what happened, upstairs. I only know that Paige gave the Glogg to that Margolin fellow and Phoebe, and Cole did the same for you and Harry."  
  
A dim memory of a bedroom lingered in the back of Olivia's mind. Only she could not flesh out the details. "Had something happened between Cole and me?" she asked.  
  
"How would I know?" Innocence continued to linger in Nathalie's dark eyes. Olivia gave her a suspicious stare. Either the older woman believed that something had transpired between Olivia and Cole. Or knew. The latter filled Olivia with horror. Oh God!  
  
The doorbell rang for the second time. Her mind still fixed on Nathalie's suggestions, Olivia barely heard it. Again, it rang. "Uh, Livy," Bruce said, jolting her out of her reverie, "I believe someone is at the door."  
  
Olivia responded with a vague nod. She walked over to the door and glanced through the peephole. Her heart fluttered at the sight of the figure standing in the corridor. It was Cole.   
  
------------------------------------------   
  
Nine minutes later, Cole beamed out of Olivia's apartment, holding a bottle of tarragon. He really did not need the herb, but he did need an excuse to visit Olivia and find out if she had recovered from last night's party. Or if she had remembered anything.  
  
Judging from what he had seen of the McNeill siblings, they had all recovered. But Cole had noticed something else - namely the smug expressions on the faces of the McNeill brothers and Nathalie. And the air of embarrassment that surrounded Olivia whenever she talked with him. And her reserved manner. He had a deep suspicion that Nathalie had told them everything - including her own suspicions of what had happened between Olivia and him, last night. Shit!   
  
After placing the tarragon on his kitchen table, Cole opened the refrigerator and retrieved a bottle of water. He unscrewed the top and took a swallow. Whether or not Olivia had remembered anything, Cole realized that he could no longer dismiss the incident. Thanks to Nathalie's potion, he now knew about Olivia's true feelings. That she was in love with him - Cole Turner, aka Belthazor. Cole wondered if she had turned to Paul Margolin out of frustration for Cole's reluctance to pursue more than a friendship.  
  
But Cole's reluctance had disappeared. Thanks to Olivia's burgeoning relationship with Margolin and last night's revelations, he was through trying to be friends with the redhead. He wanted more with Olivia than friendship. In fact, he simply wanted her. Period. Paul Margolin, as far as Cole was concerned, had just acquired a serious rival for Olivia's heart.  
  
THE END 


End file.
